Long Live Robin Hood Film Review

Dubbed

Robin Hood, Robin Hood, la, la, la. The song of the Merrie Men of Sherwood forest in this very enjoyable Italian take on the legend. It is a fine adventure tale, light on its feet but with plenty of swashbuckling sword fighting, clonks on the head and deadly archery. Robin is portrayed by Giuliano Gemma who brings a grace and athleticism not seen I suspect since Errol Flynn portrayed him. He is constantly showing his physical skills with somersaults, flips and jumps. On one occasion he swings down on a vine to land on his horse, on another he is sitting on a branch and throws an apple up in the air and does a flip around the branch, lands on his feet and catches the apple.

It does though follow the basics. The fight with Little John, the archery contest, the saving of the condemned man. Sir Henry of Nottingham (Gemma) is in Europe with the crusades and King Richard has been taken prisoner by the Holy Roman Emperor and a ransom of one million gold pieces has been demanded for his release. He gives Sir Henry the mission to go to England and tell his brother the Regent John that this money needs to be gathered. John and his ally Sir Robert, the Sheriff of Nottingham have no intention of doing so and try to kill Sir Henry. He escapes and finds an old friend at an inn as they fight off soldiers - Allan of Dale (Mark Damon). He finds more men in the forest - Little John, Will Scarlett and Friar Tuck (the always impossible to miss, Mario Adorf). They form a small band that grows bigger and constantly go after the Sheriff's men. Sir Henry though wants to stay anonymous and chooses Robin to go by. Later when he meets Marian of Saxon nobility she turns her nose up at this peasant.

Regent John (Daniele Dublino) visits the castle and proudly announces his skill at . . . needlework and advises the Sheriff never to marry a woman. Later he wears a crown of yarn made of his sewing skills all adorned in white. He must have a great fashion designer working for him. Which the two ladies in the film take advantage of dressed in the finest most contemporary of garb. Marian's yellow pant suit made the cover of Medieval Monthly. She is played by the lovely blond haired high fore-headed Silvia Dionisio. The other bit of sex appeal is Helga Liné (Horror Express, Horror Rises from the Tombs). The 103 minutes slides by easily.